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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05/14/1997 Special Meeting 36 C ITY OF YAKIMA, WASHINGTON ''MAY 14, 1997' " SPECIAL MEETING 1. ROLL CALL The City Council met in special session on this date at 12:00 Noon, in the Council Chambers at City Hall, Yakima, Washington, Mayor Pro Tem John Puccinelli, present and presiding after 1:15 p.m. Council Members Clarence Barnett, Henry Beauchamp, John Klingele, and Bernard Sims present on roll call, Mayor Lynn Buchanan and Council Member Ernie Berger absent and excused. City Manager Zais and Deputy City Clerk Skovald also present. 12:45 P.M.: Council Member Barnett opened the special meeting called to review candidates' qualifications and to hear presentations for the Incubator Management project. He summarized the suggested process established to allow each candidate 45 minutes to present their proposal and 15 minutes to answer questions from the Council. 2. BUSINESS INCUBATOR MANAGEMENT INTERVIEWS: A. YAKIMA VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE /SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER Dr. Gary Tollefson,, Vice President of Instruction & Student Services, directed Council's attention to Yakima Valley Community College /Business Development Center's long standing presence in the community. They expect to be a part of the community for a long time, and he urged the Council to select the YVCC Business Development Center to manage the incubator project. Paul Strater, Director of the Business Development Center, provided a handout and summarized the key points in the proposal submitted by the YVCC Business Development Center. He directed attention to the many years of in -depth project experience with the incubator concept and the working relationships established with new and existing businesses in Ellensburg and Prosser. Mr. Strater explained how Yakima's incubator project 1/ will provide on -site technical assistance and will be tied in with other economic development, training, and business programs. He provided background information about the Business Development Center and described the various types of business development services and college resources available to prospective tenants which will be available on an ongoing basis, such as computer software training for inventory control for small businesses. He also described the assistance available from CWU and Heritage College. Mr. Strater 3.62 SPECIAL MEETING -- MAY 14, 1997 explained the Yakima Incubator Project will be focusing on manufacturing, agriculture and food processing, and the aviation industry. He reported that the Business Development Center must cover its costs, but Yakima's incubator project will be set up to pay its own way. Mr. Strater pointed out that business plan development services will be provided to help businesses prepare a long range, five year business plan. Members of the Council asked Mr. Strater questions about subsidies, goals and objectives, staffing expectations, grant funding possibilities, the types of businesses to inhabit the incubator, the ethnic makeup of small businesses and the fast - growing nature of the Hispanic business community, work group planning and team building concepts, and retaining existing businesses in the community. Also discussed were the project costs for the first year, shortfalls expected, and how operating expenses would be budgeted. Mr. Strater feels this program can be a very positive addition to economic development in this area and urged the Council to select YVCC Business Development Center to manage the incubator. The Council recessed from 1:40 to 2:00 p.m. B. SANDOVAL LAND COMPANY, LTD. Mayor Pro Tem Puccinelli reconvened the special meeting and invited The Sandoval Land Company to present their proposal. Manuel Sandoval and Frank Gutierrez, 301 Grandview Avenue, Sunnyside, reviewed their proposal and answered questions from the Council. Mr. Sandoval identified design and construction and tenant selection as critical elements of the incubator project. He also stressed the importance of onsite management and marketing and summarized his experience in these areas. Mr. Gutierrez also summarized his experience in small business development and described how his expertise would benefit the project. Members of the Council asked Mr. Sandoval and I/ Mr. Gutierrez questions about subsidies, goals and objectives, staffing expectations, industrial park development, business planning, design costs for expansion, telecommunication and other system and site improvements. Mr. Sandoval and Mr. Gutierrez urged the Council to select The Sandoval Land Company because they feel they would best be able to market the city's interest in the industrial based market. 2 363 SPECIAL MEETING -- MAY 14, 1997 3. ADJOURNMENT , 'rr It was MOVED BY KLINGELE, SECONDED BY BEAUCHAMP, TO ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 3:10 P.M. The motion carried by unanimous voice vote; Sims, Berger, and Buchanan absent. 7 READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY: i / AMMalmax. COL L MEMBER DAT C CIL MEMB R DATE ATTEST: _ ---- /'jo—iii_e_„,_, „2 , , CITY CLERK JOHN PU LL CINEI, M AYOR PRO TEM Minutes prepared by Deputy City Clerk Skovald. An audio and video tape of this meeting are available in the City Clerk's Office Ili 3